The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1887-03-12
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
Congressmen Still Around A Busy Ses-
sion that Accomplished Little-Im-
portant Measures that Failed, &c.
WASHINGTON. D. c., March 9th, |

WASHINGTON, D. c., March 9th, 1887.
Editors Union Since the adjournment of Con-
gress on last Friday the city has been pretty we'll
cleaned out of Congressman. few have remain
ed here up to this time to settle up some business
for their constituents with the departments and a
few more of those who failed of denomination or
election last fall to the Fiftieth Congress still
lingering around, hoping to get some of the ap-
pointments that the President has yet at his dis
posal. But so far the only defeated Con-
gresham the President has taken care of is Mr..
Harrison, the now ex- Congressman from Alabama,
in Third Assistant Postmaster General Hazens
place. Congressman Morrison, of Illinois, the
great leader for tariff reform in the House, who,
among other Democratic Congressman as well as
some Republicans, "got left in the last election,
was spoken of for one of the Railroad Commits
sioners under the Interstate Commerce bill. In
fact it was said one of these five places had been
profered to him by the President and he had &C.
oopted it, but the President has not made the
nomination of the commission and it cannot be
positively said that he will be one.
The last days OF the Congress just expired may
be said to have been the busiest and most press
ing of any Congress ever held. The session be-
gan with a very good prospect of the large amount
of business that would be accomplished. The ap-
preparation committees assembled here several
days and perhaps weeks before the beginning of
the session with the apparent purpose of getting
their business well under way and be able to re-
port all the appropriation bills early in the ses-
sion With these so well along as to be out of the
way of other matters much important legislation,
it was thought and hoped, that has been crowded
out and passed over from session to session for
years past, would be accomplished, not only for
the benefit of the country but also to the credit of
the Forty Ninth Congress, notwithstanding that
the first or "long" session Of that Congress was
fruitlessiy wasted in futile efforts to accomplish
legislation which it was we'll known could not be
accomplished on account of the conflicting views
and opposing interests of certain leaders fac
tional elements in the House. But was this fair
prospect of busy and fruitful session of Congress
which has just expired been realized? True, the
last few days of the session were busy enough the
busiest, as stated above of almost any session of
Congress held here. 1t is true, also, that some
important legislation was accomplished, as the
Anti Mormon bill (Which has not, however, yet
become law for want of the Presidents sigma
ture), the Interstate Commerce bill and some rail-
road grant forfeitures. But a resume of the ses-
sion would compel the verdict that it has not been
unlike its predecessors. Notwithstanding its
starting out with such flourish of what was 60
ing to be done it ended-with doing very little.
But if this were the only feature of the late sss-
sion the session might be considered harmless,
and future Congresses might make amends BY &C
complishing such necessary and beneficial legisla-
ton as this and other Congresses have failed in.
One of the evils of the course that was pursued by
the late Congress- and that may become prece-
dent to the great detrment to the country, is the
tendency and ability shown thereby that it is in
the power CT few men or a small faction, if it be
to their interest personally or individually, like on
the appropriation committees in the lower House,
to obstruct all legislation and to hold back the ap
preparation bills to the very last days of the ses-
sica and compel the higher branch of Congress
AT o1,lk thnco lie kha Hnu
chooses to send them to it, or have them entirely
fail. This was the case in the last session. Many
of the appropriation bills were so long reaching
the Senate that that body, though it made the
greatest efforts to perform its duty and pass all
the regular appropriation bills, very important
one-the general deficiency bill-failed, and much
inconvenience if not loss will come to many of the
officers of the Government thereby. Many indi-
viduaIs, such as ex -postmasters and others whose
accounts arc included in this appropriation bill,
to whom the Government Is indebted, will have
to wait till the next session Of Congress to get
their money. know of some postmastersin your
county claiming under the Spaulding Postofhce
lay that will be in this category. But none Of the
business Of the Government depending on this bill
can now be carried forward. The River and Har-
Dor bill, appropriatng oyer 100000, failed for
lack of the Presidents signature.
A number of Senators, with Senator Sherman at
the head, have starteu on eour " 1uoa, couator
Sherman leaving this city to-day to join tho party
at Tampa, Fla. Just what the excursion means,
except it be for pleasure, cannot be determined.
Tie sensation the past week outside Of Congress
was the appointment of Mr.. Trotter, colored
man from Massachusetts, to be Recorder of Deeds
of the District, in place of Matthews. eoored, from
Albany, twice appointed but rejected by the Sen
ate. The appointment of Mr.. Trotter did not
give any batter satisfaction to the people OF the
District than Nj, Mstthews, but the Senate saw
fit to confirm him. Asos'